Oklahoma vs Pacers Prediction 23 June 2025

The Oklahoma City Thunder are showcasing impressive form this season, rightfully entering the postseason as one of the main favorites. In their last five games, they've secured three victories, underscoring the consistency of their performances. At home, the Thunder's scoring average is notably high, consistently exceeding 108 points, a trend confirmed in recent matchups with their current opponent. The club's strengths lie in their powerful offense and solid play under the basket, where they often dominate their opponents. It's worth noting that Oklahoma City traditionally performs well against Indiana on their home court.

However, on the road, Mark Daigneault's squad has experienced some setbacks. The most recent came in Game 6, where they fell 91-108. Despite leading the series 3-2, it seemed like the Thunder could push past a seemingly subdued Indiana, but that wasn't the case. Oklahoma delivered one of their worst performances of these playoffs, falling short to the Pacers across all areas. It's telling that they trailed by a staggering 30 points before the final quarter. Perhaps Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and company opted not to exert themselves fully in an away game to conserve energy for the home clash, but Indiana's level of dominance was alarming.

Remarkably, these playoff favorites ended the game with 21 turnovers-their worst tally in all 104 games this season. Their shooting from beyond the arc was also disastrous-hitting just 3 of 20 in the first three quarters (finishing 8 of 30 overall). The coach has only a couple of days left before the decisive battle to get his star-studded roster back on track. Otherwise, anything could happen.

The Indiana Pacers have won five of their last ten games, and regardless of the outcome of the upcoming title-deciding clash, they have delivered one of their best seasons in history. The Pacers boast a formidable offensive lineup, often scoring over 103 points against their current opponent (averaging 115.1 points in the knockout rounds). Their main strength lies in their well-coordinated plays and rapid perimeter game. However, their defense remains a weak spot, as they concede 112.5 points on average in the playoffs, ranking 13th, which sometimes poses a significant challenge.

Rick Carlisle's squad looked as lackluster in the fifth game of the series as they were impressive in the sixth. Nembhard found easy paths, Siakam applied pressure, and Toppin frequently found open spaces, both beyond the arc and inside. McConnell delivered yet another brilliant performance. He could arguably be considered the best player of the series so far. Indiana executed flawlessly on both ends of the court. Their positional offense was particularly remarkable, dismantling Oklahoma's defensive setups with high tempo and precise teamwork. It felt less like a playoff final and more like a regular-season game with a clear favorite and underdog.

Notably, despite an injury, Tyrese Haliburton managed to play ("if I can walk, I'll play" - and he did just that). The offensive leader wasn't at his best but still scored 14 points in 22 minutes on the court. The standout scorer was role player Toppin with 20 points, highlighting the strength of the team's bench. While Indiana remains the underdog according to bookmakers, they hold a psychological edge.